U.S. Grant Cheer
Having been around the program, it was a natural progression for Beth Hardwick to take over the cheer program last spring when the position came open.
Originally from Lawton and a former Eisenhower Eagle, Hardwick moved to Putnam City North where she would graduate from, but despite where she calls herself an alumnus, Hardwick’s heart is with the cheer program and her student-athlete at U.S. Grant.
“Being a Grant cheerleader means being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s about representing our school, building pride, and creating a culture where every student knows they belong,” Hardwick said. “My expectations are that we represent U.S. Grant with energy, dedication, and school pride. I want this team to grow not only in skills but also in leadership, spirit, and the ability to bring our school together.”
Hardwick said this team continues to impress her, including the ones who stepped up as captains.
“Our captains are Fabian Gayton-Garcia, a senior and ROTC Captain who is cheering for the first time; Jaqualine Villalba, a senior who represented our team as a homecoming candidate and has a special gift for pulling everyone together with her kindness and ability to bring out the best in her teammates; and Kendra Dawkins, a junior who has been part of Grant Cheer for three years,” Hardwick said. “We have students who have never cheered before and others with several years of experience. What impresses me most is how they come together as one team, helping and encouraging each other to grow.”
For the program to succeed it takes coaches who are invested, and Grant has that in Hardwick and the assistants.
“My assistant coach is Yajayara Lopez, who joined us after five years of coaching at Santa Fe South High School. She brings tremendous experience and has a special ability to connect with every team member. Her leadership and mentoring have been such a gift to our program, and I’m thankful to have her by my side,” said Hardwick.
The plan for this season includes competing and raising the bar for the program.
“We are participating in Game Day, and we’re planning to attend ACA competitions in the spring. We are also looking at Cheer for a Cure for our JV team this fall,” said Hardwick.
With the administration and student body behind them, the Grant cheerleaders are confident in their ability to get the job done.
“Our principal was a cheerleader in high school, so she truly understands the value of the program and supports us fully. Our administration and community help make it possible for our cheerleaders to succeed. We’re also grateful for the support of organizations like ResilEOne, which stands behind us,” said Hardwick. As for the future of the program?
“The future is bright! We’ve added a brand-new JV Team and Riot Squad this year, bringing our program to 41 students. We’re also proud to have two football players, Octavious and TJ, who help with stunting at pep rallies. Their involvement has taken our stunting skills to the next level and shows how much our program is growing in creativity and teamwork. We are building something that gives more students opportunities to be involved, grow, and show Generals pride.
